pumpkin cranberry twists

OK so yes, it’s not even Halloween yet and I’m about to talk about Thanksgiving. But if you’re one of those way-way-ahead Thanksgiving planners, you’ve probably already got most of the menu hashed out for the big day.

Me? Well, I’ve got the rolls covered!

Thanksgiving for us has varied greatly for the past few years. The first year we were hitched, we had Thanksgiving at my parents’ house, so my mom and dad were in charge of the food (and I was in charge of the eating, natch). The following year, we decided to host Thanksgiving, for both families, in our 700-square-foot apartment. It was chaotic and merry all at the same time, and hot. So hot. Twelve people and a not well-ventilated kitchen with the stove and oven going all day in a small space makes for an Amazon-like atmosphere, just FYI.

The next year, we hosted Thanksgiving at our place again but for half the people, which was still merry but less chaotic and Amazon-like. And the year after that, we spent Thanksgiving with Elliott’s fam at their place.

For a few of those years we’ve been in charge of the turkey and some sides and/or desserts. But as much as I love ALL OF THE THANKSGIVING FOOD (seriously, last meal? Thanksgiving dinner), my favorite thing to make for the holiday is rolls. Because carbs.

This year, we’ll be making the trek down to my parents’ house for Thanksgiving, and these pumpkin cranberry twists are coming along for the ride. That is, if they stick around for that long. We’re already down two (for recipe testing purposes!…), and I’m not sure I can hold out another month before I sneak another roll or five.

There are a few reasons why I love these rolls. 1) They have pumpkin and autumn spices and dried cranberries and pecan bits in them, so they taste like a fall flavor explosion in your mouth (and they make your kitchen smell that way, too), 2) They’re super-soft on the inside with an ever-so-slight chew on the outside, which in my opinion is the primo, grade-A, top-choice consistency for rolls, and 3) They’re going to look pretty on the Thanksgiving table. And I’m such a sucker for good food presentation.

Whether you’re a mega-Thanksgiving planner and you’ve already got the grocery list put together for the big day, or you’re waiting until a few weeks before to hash out the menu, or if you’re one of those people who waits until the morning of Thanksgiving to think about the food and you end up buying cold cuts and cranberry sauce in the shape of a can (which I kind of love to eat, actually), I implore you to think about adding these twists to your Thanksgiving table. Your tummy will be so thankful.

Using a wooden spoon or dough hook attachment, stir in remaining flour 1 cup at a time until a dough forms. Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface 7-10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as needed OR knead on medium speed with dough hook attachment 5-6 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as needed.

Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour in a warm place until doubled.

When dough is doubled, punch down and knead in cranberries and pecans. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough into a 12-inch log. Fold each log in half, then twist both ends once, pinching seams to seal. Place twists on 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Girl, I’ve had Thanksgiving on my brain for a couple weeks now! Is it weird that I’ve already planned my entire Thanksgiving menu?! I was planning on parker house rolls, but I’m going to have to switch it up in favor of these beauties!!

These are so cute!!! I can imagine how crazy it must have been to squash 12 people into a tiny, hot kitchen. I would have gotten so irritable, haha. I tend to be a bit possessive when it comes to the kitchen 😉

The girl who brings the rolls = the most popular girl at the party! These are gorgeous, and I totally want to make them for my family (though I probably won’t be able to wait until T-day to “recipe test”)

I already know that I am making and bringing these to my inlaws for Thanksgiving. I totally want to host a holiday. I know that my small kitchen could fit everybody but it would be, like you said, soooo hot.

Aw Stephanie, you’re so talented! Your breads always come out super beautiful and fluffy, I’m so jealous 😉 I need to make these as soon as possible, I’m so looking forward to having some spare time so I can make homemade bread!!

Nicole — That always happens to us with the cranberry sauce, and then we end up getting the canned stuff (which I love anyway because I’m weird, but still :)). You should definitely give these a go this year!

They look awesome! Do you freeze them? I am still deciding which breads to make. We’re hosting a second Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday but going to my husband’s parents’ house on Thursday, so I’ll get to make some of everything this year.

My mom always made us pumpkin twisty rolls (what I called them) when I was little. I love the cranberries you added! These look so incredibly soft and chewy – I want one for breakfast with my pumpkin coffee.

These braided rolls are so beautiful, especially with the glossy crust and the cranberries peeking out from the dough. So pretty (and delicious, I’m sure!). I don’t think I’ll be able to wait for Thanksgiving to try these!

I can completely understand the Amazon-like effect of having too many people in a small place. Our apartment is 600-700 square feet, as well, and our kitchen is not well ventilated. We don’t even have a window that opens in the kitchen! We’ve found that having any more than 8 people over can be a real challenge, especially if we’re planning to use the oven. Glad to know we’re not the only ones with this problem, haha : )

Even though I end up making most of Thanksgiving dinner, I usually go to my mom’s because my apartment is too tiny to hold more than five people in it lol. These twists are almost certainly going to make an appearance this year! Though I can’t promise they’ll make it past the appetizers. We are big on carbloading for the BIG meal.

Since it’s Thanksgiving, I’m always looking for blogs that will give me plenty of ideas. My friend just told me about “Cooking With Mr. C.” on Facebook (also a blog). I just “Liked” his page. He dedicates November for all Thanksgiving ideas. I was hoping I may find some things on your blog this season too. Alana

I just spent a very fun evening making these to see if they were Thanksgiving worthy. I had a little trouble with the twist. Only two turned out as pretty as yours, but my oh my did they ever taste yummy! The maple syrup gives it just enough, but not too much, sweetness. The cranberries give it a tanginess, and the pecans give it some texture. The pumpkin and spices just bring it all together. I totally skipped dinner and ate 3 twists instead. There is no telling how many I’m going to eat tomorrow. Luckily, I can take some to work. I can’t wait to make them again at Thanksgiving. You created a masterpiece. And now my family will think I have, too! Thanks.

Yes hooray for carbs! No better way to celebrate occasions like Thanksgiving than with all kinds of carbs. And these rolls look so soft and inviting. If only I can get over my fear of yeast, I would make these.

These look so darn good. I definitely want to make a batch next time the in-law folks come over… fresh bread wins heaps of points! It’s not fall over here but I’m still loving the barrage of pumpkin posts from the US at the moment. I am learning so much about pumpkin versatility, it’s pretty amazing! xx

Jen — I would bake them completely, then place them in plastic bags and put them in the freezer. A few hours before you plan to serve them, I’d take them out of the bags and let them come to room temperature, uncovered, on the countertop. If you want them warm, you can also put them in a 250 degree oven for a few minutes once they’ve returned to room temp. Hope that helps!